Child Welfare
Youth advocates and service providers in Nebraska will meet today to discuss the state’s shaky move towards privatization, and call on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for more information, transparency and accountability in the reform process.
The Oregon State University College of Pharmacy announced that its researchers found that poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy, which often leads to low birth weight, can jeopardize a child’s ability to process medicine well into adulthood. A report on the research is not yet posted on the college’s website, but the release on it is available here.
Education/Jobs
NPR News’ Donna Marie Owens reports that some community colleges are starting to hold midnight classes to accommodate their students’ lifestyles.
Joel Klein surprised the education world this week by resigning as New York City schools chancellor after eight years, report Sharon Otterman and Jennifer Medina of the New York Times. Klein will be replaced by Cathie Black, chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, who has no education experience. Klein assumes a post as an executive vice president at Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. New York Daily News analyst Alexander Nazaryan, in a piece posted yesterday, said to expect a continued fight between city hall and the teacher’s union.
The New York Times’ Tamar Lewin looks at one of the for-profit education companies under scrutiny of late: Kaplan University, which is owned by New York Times’ competitor the Washington Post. Featuring comments from several former Kaplan employees, now whistleblowers, the story details Kaplan’s shady recruiting practices and creation of “phantom” students whose federal loans are used instead to increase company profits.
Juvenile Justice
Youth services providers and juvenile justice officials in Sandusky County, Ohio, will get together next week to discuss how to connect young offenders to school and the workforce upon release, reports the News Messenger.
Historically black college Florida A&M University has opened the Juvenile Justice Research Institute (JJRI). The institute was started with funding secured by the state from the Department of Justice and from its own state juvenile justice advisory group.
Miscellaneous
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled a strategic plan called “Ending the Tobacco Epidemic.” The plan to control tobacco use involves accelerating research on the effects of tobacco, leveraging HHS resources for evidence-based control and prevention strategies, and supporting media campaigns. http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/tobacco/tobaccostrategicplan2010.pdf
